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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pitcher · current · ground · fork · rush · safe · pass · spring

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. rush — hurry
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. spring — of water
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. current — electric
  10. ground — a position
  11. current — happening now
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. ground — the earth
  14. spring — a coil
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. ground — crushed
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. spring — the season
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. fork — in a road
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. current — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com